Burnley

Player News - Burnley

Chris Wood was the definition of "super-sub" as he came off the bench to play a part in all three of Burnley's goals as they took it to West Ham United in a 0-3 win.

After going seemingly forever without a win, the Clarets make it two in a row and the return of Wood from injury is no coincidence. After making the difference off the bench in the second half last week, he did it again today with even more panache. The attack had little to offer in the first half and were fortunate to see the game goalless at the break. On the hour mark, Wood was introduced and his impact was felt immediately. First he collected a deep ball to the right of the box, and picked out Ashley Barnes streaking into the area, the latter smashing home. Four minutes later, a series of lovely passes in the final third ended with Aaron Lennon finding Wood for a cool finish inside twelve yards. The rout was on ten minutes after that, with Johann Berg Gudmundsson supplying Wood for the final goal, his third in 74 minutes since returning from injury. With a fortnight until the next PL game, it would be shocking to see Wood not in the next Starting XI.

Burnley came from behind to get their first win since before Christmas with a second half introduction of Chris Wood sparking the Clarets to a 2-1 win over Everton.

What a day for Sean Dyche's side as they not only get a monkey off their back, they pull off a rare comeback in the process. Everton were the better side in the first half and got the goal to show for it. Burnley nearly leveled things just before the half hour mark, but an Ashley Barnes header was saved superbly by Jordan Pickford. Wood came on to begin the second half and the difference was immediately felt. His size not only gave Everton defenders trouble but also opened things up for Barnes. The latter would equalize shortly before the hour mark, slotting home a nice through ball from Matt Lowton. Wood then utilized his size in the 80th minute, heading home a corner from Johann Berg Gudmundsson. It should not be long now before we see Wood starting again.

Burnley looked destined to grab their first win since before Christmas but they conceded an equalizer in the 90th minute and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Southampton.

The point keeps Burnley in 7th position, which underscores just how fantastic they were in the first half of the season. It was a typical Turf Moor affair and with an opponent who has had their struggles offensively, a clean sheet looked imminent as Stephen Ward made his return to left back. The first half was non-eventful as neither side could get a threat going forward. Burnley started to pressure more in the second frame and the kettle finally boiled over on 68 minutes when Jeff Hendrick, who played in a #10 role today, would get credited for an assist after his ball resulted in a scramble in front of goal and Ashley Barnes was able to beat the keeper and bury home. That appeared game over as Southampton showed little fight to equalize but the Clarets were done in by one moment of execution by the Saints. Burnley will continue their search for a win at home next weekend with a visit from Everton.

James Tarkowski (knee) and Phil Bardsley (hamstring) have a chance at returning from their respective injuries this weekend, though both are rated 50/50 at best.

Tarkowski has missed the last three matches with Kevin Long deputizing in the meantime while Bardsley has missed one league game since leaving at halftime of Burnley's draw with Manchester City. Tarkowski owners will be pleased to see him back in contention but should plan to use another option this weekend. Bardsley's situation may not be that simple. He took the right back job from Matt Lowton midseason and he may not get it back. Speaking of getting their job back, Stephen Ward is chomping at the bit to see league action again. He is healthy and looking to supplant Charlie Taylor this weekend.

Chris Wood, who has been out of action since December, is in contention to make Sean Dyche's squad this weekend when Burnley play Southampton.

Wood last played just before Christmas, injuring his knee in a loss to Tottenham. The ligament damage he sustained took longer to heal than initially expected and his return will be a welcome one. The New Zealand international was Sean Dyche's first-choice striker when he was fit, but after a two month layoff, one would not be surprised to see Wood eased back into that role. Fantasy owners in draft leagues in need of forward help should scoop him up if he is available for a potentially productive run-in.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche said he does not expect Tom Heaton to be ready to return to the first team this weekend.

The 31-year-old keeper has missed the last five months after suffering a dislocated shoulder in September, but recently returned to play for the U23s this week in his first match action. However, given Nick Pope's form since taking over in Gameweek 5 (nine clean sheets) and Heaton's lenghty layoff, Dyche said he prefers to take his time with reincorporating Heaton back into the first team: "Tom’s not there yet to worry about that. Tom’s main thing is to get fit...Now it’s about true fitness and as a keeper it’s about timing, getting your eye in and about reminding yourself about game awareness and game management and all the different things that add into a goalkeeper’s performance. He’s not under any pressure to be considered at the moment because we want him to be right, not just on what you see, but right in himself and that’s an important factor for us."

Tom Heaton is nearing a return to action after completing 90 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Gawthorpe on Tuesday.

The Burnley goalkeeper has been sidelined since dislocating his shoulder during the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace back in September – an injury which threatened to end his season after undergoing surgery. Heaton is expected to be back in first-team contention very soon as he enters the final phase of his rehabilitation. However, the 31-year-old, who is still hoping to be included in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, faces stiff competition from his deputy Nick Pope following a string of impressive performances. Midfielder Dean Marney was also included having recovered from a medial knee ligament injury while Chris Wood managed 70 minutes having missed the last nine matches. Nahki Wells and Tottenham loanee Georges-Kevin N’Koudou were given a run out by Sean Dyche as they look to maintain fitness having found their first team opportunities limited recently.

Burnley took a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea City, making it ten league games on the trot without a win.

The Clarets still set as "best of the rest" outside of the league's top six, but it is starting to look like another side punching above their weight in the season's first half only to come back down to Earth in the second. Once again, the defense was their strong suit, and kept them in the game until the end, but the attack was poor by their conservative standards. What little threat they had came through the middle, with Aaron Lennon and Johann Berg Gudmundsson seeing very little activity on the outside. Matt Taylor put in another fine shift, shutting down Swansea's right flank, but his attempted crosses lacked quality as Burnley would finish without a single shot on target. Stephen Ward made the squad for the first time after a long injury spell and it will be interesting to monitor if or when Dyche will start him over Taylor.

Burnley took a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea City, making it ten league games on the trot without a win.

The Clarets still set as "best of the rest" outside of the league's top six, but it is starting to look like another side punching above their weight in the season's first half only to come back down to Earth in the second. Once again, the defense was their strong suit, and kept them in the game until the end, but the attack was poor by their conservative standards. What little threat they had came through the middle, with Aaron Lennon and Johann Berg Gudmundsson seeing very little activity on the outside. Matt Taylor put in another fine shift, shutting down Swansea's right flank, but his attempted crosses lacked quality as Burnley would finish without a single shot on target. Stephen Ward made the squad for the first time after a long injury spell and it will be interesting to monitor if or when Dyche will start him over Taylor.

Matt Lowton could make his long-awaited return to the Burnley starting line-up as Phil Bardsley struggles to shake off a muscular strain.

The 28-year-old picked up a medial knee ligament injury against Arsenal back in November and has found himself amongst the substitutes since his return to the matchday squad on December 16. The injury handed summer signing Bardsley his opportunity and the veteran full-back seized has his chance by starting every Premier League game since. However, the former Stoke player is at risk of missing this weekends clash at the Liberty Stadium after suffering a hamstring related problem in the 1-1 draw with champions elect Manchester City. Elsewhere, Stephen Ward [knee] is closing in on a return having managed to come through 72 minutes for the under-23s unscathed on Monday while James Tarkowski is hoping to shake off a niggling groin problem. Despite a mounting injury list, Burnley still find themselves well-placed in seventh although they remain nine points adrift of Arsenal in 6th.

Icelandic international Johann Berg Gudmundsson was the hero as Burnley did what they have done time and again all season, grinding out a 1-1 upset draw with giants Manchester City.

Sean Dyche's men put in another impressive shift, frustrating the might Man City attack. The likely title-winners would take the lead in the 22nd minute, and dominated the first half on the stat sheet. But the key was that the Clarets would deny the Citizens a second goal, keeping the underdogs in range of a result. Ben Mee had two chances to level the score in the first half, but one missed the target and the other was well saved. In the second half, the pair of wide men, Gudmundsson and Aaron Lennon, began to gradually give Burnley some chances in City's final third. Lennon had one attempt saved brilliantly, but in the 82nd minute, all the hard work payed off when Matt Lowton, who replaced Phil Bardsley at the break, fed the Icelandic star a perfect ball that was poked home from close range.

Steven Defour is at risk of missing the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia after a precautionary scan revealed he must undergo knee surgery to repair cartilage damage.

The 29-year-old has been an ever-present for the Clarets this term, but there are fears that Defour may not play again competitively in 2017/18 with the midfielder scheduled to go under the knife on Monday. "Unfortunately, he will be out for some time," confirmed Sean Dyche. "That’s a blow to us, and to Steven, of course. He has been playing with the problem for some time and didn’t know it was there. He just had a bit of a sore knee, so he sent him for a scan and there was a problem with his cartilage that the specialist will have to sort out. We’ll wait and see what he says after the operation." Burnley left St James’ Park with a hard-fought point on Wednesday, having travelled to Tyneside without 8 injured first-team players. Ashley Westwood came into midfield for his first PL start of the campaign.

Burnley failed to get the win once again, but the club was lucky just to come away with a point in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle.

It was Burnley's seventh consecutive Premier League fixture without a win but the Clarets were gifted a point in the 85th minute when Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow palmed a Sam Vokes' header off the crossbar and back down off the keeper's head before rolling into the back of the net for the equalizer. In the first half, Nick Pope came up with a massive save off a penalty but he couldn't stop a header from Jamaal Lascelles header in the 65th. In team news, Aaron Lennon came on in the second half and made his Premier League debut in a Claret shirt after signing from Everton last week.

Burnley arrive on Tyneside with a mounting injury list which could see up-to eight first-team players ruled out of the clash with Newcastle.

Centre-back James Tarkowski is described as "touch and go" due to a minor groin injury and faces the prospect of late fitness test - defensive teammate Stephen Ward is another doubt having just returned to full training on Monday. In midfield, Steven Defour has been managing a niggling knee problem for a few weeks and he has been advised to meet with a specialist. Sean Dyche will decide on his involvement "when we know more." Dean Marney had been recovering well from a ruptured cruciate ligament, but he suffered a setback recently, tweaking his medial knee ligament and there is no timeline on his potential return to action. Chris Wood [knee] has just begun light outdoor work while Tom Heaton [shoulder] continues to progress. Aaron Lennon could be included following his switch from Everton.

James Tarkowski is rated "touch and go" with a groin issue and Steven Defour is a question mark with a persistent knee problem as Burnley get set to take on Newcastle United Wednesday night.

Tarkowski has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, effectively replacing Michael Keane, but fantasy owners should plan for an alternative this gameweek. "Groin" and "touch and go" usually does not bode well, so Kevin Long is likely to partner Ben Mee against the Magpies. Long has performed admirably in a backup role, helping the club keep three clean sheets in his five starts. Defour, meanwhile, is waiting on word from a knee specialist, who will determine whether the midfielder's knee injury is something he can play through. Should Defour miss out, Jeff Hendrick may drop back in a deeper role, allowing Sean Dyche to start two strikers, or Scott Arfield could fill in, as he has in the past, rather than play his customary wide position.